ASSESSMENT OF BOTH NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE DIMENSIONS OF THE EXPERIENCE OF NATURAL CAREGIVER OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS PATIENTS IN MORROCCO

Z. Malouli Idrissi, S. Rostom, H. Raissouni, M. Elaadmi, K. Benbouazza, N. Hajjaj Hassounirheumatology, El Ayachi Hospital, rabat, MoroccoObjectives: to assess caregiver burden among partners of patients with RA, using the CRA, and determine patient characteristics, partner characteristics variables that explain subjective caregiverBurden Methods: This monoconcentric study comprised RA patients who met the criteria of the American College of Rheumatology. The severity of the disease has been estimated by the presence of the anti-ccp and joint destruction.The partner was defined as a relative by marriage or person identied by the patient as partner, and who resided in the patient's household For at least 2 years without any chronic diseases, the data concerning caregiver experiences were gatheredat the hospital by clinical and socio-demographic questionnaires, also the french version ofcaregiver reaction assessment scale (CRA) was used to assess both negative(`lack of family support', `financial problems', `disrupted schedule' and `loss of physical strength') and positive (`care-derived self-esteem') dimensions. For each subscale, a total score was computed as the average of the subsequent item scores, with a range between 1.00 and 5.00. A score of 1.0 represents `no derived self-esteem' on the positive dimension, and `no burden' on the negative dimensions, a higher score represented a stronger impact of the attribute (either negative or positive).It was completed by correlations between patients and parteners characteristics and different areas of the CRA. Results: The family member was usually the spouse (70%). Partners of RA patients derived, on average, a high level of self-esteem (4,1)from giving care. Negative subjective caregiver burden was to a large degree caused by a disrupted schedule (3,47), by health problems (3,5), by financial problem(3,75) and small degree by a lack of family support (2,9). There is no correlation between disease duration and the different domains of the CRA, conversely a high HAQ had a negative impact on self-esteem (r:-0,3, p:0,001), on financial problems (r:-0,34, p:<0,001) and on disrupted schedule (r:0,2, p:0,03), a high DAS28 had a negative impact on health problems (r:-0,24, p: 0,03) and on disrupted schedule (r:-0,24, p:0,03), The severity of illness had a negative effect on all areas of CRA: domain 1(r:0,4, p:<0,001), domain 2(r:0,5, p:<0,001), domain 3(r:0,4, p:<0,001), domain 4(r:-0,3, p:0,006),domain5 (r:-0,2, p:0,03). Age and gender of the partner had no influence on subjective caregiver burden Conclusions: Informal care can be burdensome in the context of RA. High disability, high activity and severity disease cause more caregiving responsibilities and may experience caregiving more negatively Disclosure of Interest: None DeclaredCitation: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, volume 70, supplement 3, year 2011, page 656Session: Rheumatoid arthritis – prognosis, predictors and outcome (Poster Presentations )